SD&G Scoop – Your Local Lowdown for March 19-26, 2026!

☘️ Happy (Belated) St. Patrick’s Day, Scoop readers!

We hope everyone managed to stay warm (and upright) through this week’s mix of weather, but with all the events popping up around the region lately, it’s starting to feel like spring might actually be on the way.

Speaking of things we can all agree on… last week we asked whether we should ditch Daylight Savings Time and just keep our clocks the same year-round. The results are in: 89% of you said yes. Honestly, we’re a little surprised it’s not even higher. Apparently there’s still a small but brave group out there who enjoy resetting every microwave, car clock, and coffee maker twice a year.

Before we jump into this week’s happenings, we also want to give a quick shoutout to local photographers and artists who help us showcase the beauty of the region. This week’s feature comes from Alookie Atagoyuk-Bray, capturing a stunning shot of a white-breasted nuthatch - one of those tiny but fearless birds you’ll often see hopping upside-down along tree trunks.

Alright - grab a coffee, settle in, and let’s see what’s happening around SDG this week. 🍀📬

WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK
🎉 What’s Happening This Week (March 19-26, 2026)

📅 Here are a few events you won’t want to miss:

🔶 March Break Nature Adventure with the River Institute
📅 Thursday, March 19 | 🕘 9 AM – 1 PM | 📍 OPG Saunders Hydro Dam Visitor Centre
Looking for a fun way to get the kids outside during March Break? The St. Lawrence River Institute is hosting a family-friendly event all about exploring local wildlife and biodiversity. Participants can join guided nature walks to look for birds and animal tracks, using binoculars and field guides to help spot wildlife along the way. Inside the centre, things get even more interesting - visitors will have the chance to examine animal bones from large vertebrates and even look at tiny aquatic creatures under a microscope. The event is open to all ages and is a great opportunity for curious kids (and adults!) to learn more about the natural world right here in our region.
🎟 Best part? It’s completely FREE, but registration is required.

🔶 Pancake Breakfast in Winchester
📅 Saturday, March 21 | 🕗 8:30 – 11:00 AM | 📍 St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, Winchester
If your ideal Saturday morning involves pancakes, maple syrup, and good company, this one’s for you. The Winchester Golden Years Club is hosting their Annual Pancake Breakfast at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church. On the menu? Fluffy pancakes with fresh maple syrup, plus sausages, bacon, baked beans, and your choice of tea, coffee, or juice - basically everything you need to start the day off right. Bring the family, invite a friend, and treat yourself to a classic small-town breakfast that tastes even better with maple syrup. 🥞🍁

🔶 Spring Into Maple at Salmon River Sugar Bush
📅 March 21–22 | 🕘 9 AM – 3 PM | 📍 Salmon River Sugar Bush (180 Gilmore Rd, Tamworth)
If you’ve been waiting for a true sign that spring is around the corner, this might be it! 🍁 The Youmans Family’s Salmon River Sugar Bush is hosting their annual Spring Into Maple celebration - a weekend dedicated to all things maple. Bring the whole family out for a classic Canadian sugar bush experience featuring wagon rides through the woods, live music, sugarhouse tours, syrup tastings, and everyone’s favourite - fresh snow taffy. It’s the perfect way to spend a day outdoors while celebrating maple season. 🎶 Live music throughout the event by Ted Lalonde, Tyler Brett Forkes, and Lane Lyman will keep the maple vibes going all day long.
🎟 Admission: $10 (includes all activities)
🥞 Pancake breakfast: Additional $10

🔶 Bingo Night in Chesterville
📅 Thursday, March 26 | 🚪 Doors open 6:30 PM | 🎱 Bingo 7:00–8:30 PM | 📍 Chesterville Legion
If you love a good game of bingo (and maybe a little friendly competition), this might be the perfect midweek outing. North Dundas District High School is hosting a Bingo Night at the Chesterville Legion, with a chance to win gift card prizes - including a $500 grand prize. For $20, players get 3 cards and 10 games, with extra cards available if you’re feeling lucky. There will also be a 50/50 draw supporting the school, and a full canteen stocked with snacks, drinks, coffee, and baked goods to keep you fueled between numbers.
Even better? All proceeds support school initiatives through ND Leads and the NDDHS Student Council, so every dab helps a good cause.

🔶 From Metal to Masterpiece — Intro to Jewelry Making
📅 March 26–27 | 🕘 9 AM – 4 PM | 📍 Montour CPA & Associates, 609 NY-37, Akwesasne
Ever wanted to try your hand at jewelry making? Here’s your chance. Thompson Island Cultural Camp is hosting a hands-on Introduction to Jewelry Making Workshop, where beginners can learn the art of crafting beautiful pieces from copper and brass. Over the two-day workshop, participants will get to learn the fundamentals of metalwork - including sawing, filing, hammering, forming, and soldering — while creating their own handmade jewelry to take home. No experience required, just a willingness to get creative.
⚠️ Spots are limited and participants will be selected through a lottery-style draw, so be sure to register before the March 20 deadline if you’re interested.

🎵 Where’s That Music Coming From (March 19-26, 2026)

🔶 QueenFlash: Tribute to Queen
📅 Saturday, March 21 | 🚪 Doors 7 PM | Show 8 PM | 📍 The Port Theatre
Calling all Queen fans - this one might be a must-see. QueenFlash, one of the top tribute bands celebrating the legendary music of Queen, is coming to The Port Theatre for a night packed with iconic rock anthems. Expect all the classics you know and love — from Bohemian Rhapsody and Don’t Stop Me Now to We Will Rock You — performed live in a high-energy show that captures the spirit of Freddie Mercury and the band that defined a generation.
🎟 Tickets:
• $40 Advance
• $45 At the Door
Tickets are available online or at local outlets including The Port Theatre, Melody Music, Buds Records and Kool Things.

MEET YOUR NEIGHBOUR
👋 Mortimer the Teaching Turtle

You might remember Nicole from SDG Turtles, who we previously featured for her incredible work helping protect and advocate for turtles across Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry. Well, she recently wrote in with an exciting update, and a new “team member” we think you’ll enjoy meeting.

Say hello to Mortimer, a 30-year-old common snapping turtle who now helps Nicole with educational programs across the region.

Mortimer has quite the story. He was illegally taken from the wild as a hatchling and raised in captivity, which unfortunately meant he never developed the survival skills needed to live in the wild. Because of that, he can’t safely be released back into nature.

But there’s a silver lining.

Mortimer now serves as a “Teaching Turtle,” helping Nicole educate students, community groups, and residents about turtles, conservation, and how human activity impacts local wildlife. Through these presentations, people can learn about the important role turtles play in our ecosystems - and how we can better protect them here in SDG.

Nicole also shared that she is now fully insured for educational presentations and offers them free of charge across Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry (donations are welcomed but not required).

We love seeing passionate people in our community finding creative ways to educate and protect local wildlife, and Mortimer might just be the most unique “neighbour” we’ve featured yet.

WHERE TO GRAB A BITE
🌿 Grow Your Own (Even Without a Backyard!)

Ever thought about growing your own vegetables, herbs, or flowers… but don’t have the space? The Kemptville Campus Community Garden might be the perfect solution.

For just $40 for the entire season, you can rent your own garden plot and spend the summer growing fresh produce, flowers, or whatever inspires your green thumb. Even better, it’s not just about the gardening - community gardens like this often become social hubs where people share tips, swap seeds, and enjoy a bit of fresh air together.

With grocery prices these days, the idea of growing a few things yourself is starting to look pretty appealing, and initiatives like this make it possible even if you live in an apartment or don’t have yard space.

Honestly, we’d love to see more community gardens like this popping up around the region. Fresh food, time outdoors, and a chance to meet your neighbours? Sounds like a pretty great combination.

SUPPORT THE SCOOP
☕ Keep the Good News Brewing

The SDG Scoop is a free, independent local newsletter built right here in SD&G - by locals, for locals. Each issue takes time, coffee, and a whole lot of love to put together.

If you enjoy reading the Scoop and want to help keep it going strong, you can buy us a coffee (or two!). Every little bit helps us share more good news, highlight local stories, and celebrate the best of our community.

Thanks for the support, friends!

THROWBACK CORNER
📸 Fishing the St. Lawrence, Circa 1900

Long before carbon fibre rods and fancy tackle boxes, locals along the St. Lawrence River kept things simple - bamboo poles, patience, and a good spot along the rocks.

This photo from around 1900 shows a group of anglers casting their lines into the mighty river, dressed in what was apparently the fishing attire of the day: suits, hats, and long dresses. No Gore-Tex or fishing vests in sight - just determination and maybe a bit of luck.

More than a century later, not much has changed about the real star of the show: the St. Lawrence River itself. Anglers still travel from across North America to fish these waters, chasing bass, walleye, pike and more. Some even say the fishing around Cornwall is borderline world-class - and honestly… we’re inclined to agree. 🎣

So whether you're casting from a boat, a dock, or the shoreline, you're part of a long local tradition that stretches back generations.

And who knows… maybe somewhere out there, a bass is still ignoring a lure just like it did in 1900.

PET OF THE WEEK
🐱 Meet Mochi!

It’s been a little while since we featured a cat in this section, so we’re excited to introduce you to this week’s star, Mochi.

This sweet boy is currently waiting at the Ontario SPCA Cornwall & Region Animal Centre for his purr-fect forever home. Mochi can be a bit shy when you first meet him, but with a little patience and kindness he’s starting to come out of his shell and show off his gentle, affectionate personality.

If you’re the type of person who appreciates earning a cat’s trust (and the special bond that comes with it), Mochi might be the perfect companion. Once he warms up, we’re told he’s an absolute sweetheart.

If you’d like to meet Mochi, you can visit the shelter at 550 Boundary Road in Cornwall. They’re open 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., and the team there would love to introduce you.

Who knows - your next best friend might just be waiting for you.

COMMUNITY WINS
🏆 Special Olympics Alexandria–Cornwall

A big shoutout this week to the incredible volunteers who help keep Special Olympics programs thriving in the Alexandria–Cornwall area. Behind every practice, game, and competition is a group of dedicated community members giving their time to make sure athletes have the opportunity to train, compete, and have fun.

A special thank you goes out to the local council members helping lead the way: Karen Cambridge, Joe Kupina, Norm Fontaine, Claude Poirier, Chad Radbourne, Melanie Evans, Denis Asselin, Shirley MacDonnell, and Ron Cambridge. Their leadership - along with many other volunteers - keeps these programs running and ensures athletes have a supportive place to grow and compete.

Looking ahead, there are plenty of exciting programs coming up in the 2026 schedule:

Indoor Bocce: March 24 – May 12
Outdoor Soccer: May 25 – July 27
Outdoor Bocce: May 19 – July 28
5-Pin Bowling: September – May
Indoor Soccer: September – December

Programs like these don’t happen without passionate people stepping up for their community, and thanks to these volunteers, athletes across the region have the chance to stay active, build friendships, and experience the joy of sport.

👏 A huge thank you to everyone helping make Special Olympics possible in our region.

LOCAL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
🛒 Small Businesses - We See You!

Want to get your local business in front of thousands of engaged Cornwall & SD&G readers who love supporting local?

We feature standout businesses, shops, and services that help make our community shine - and we’d love to spotlight you next!

👉 Interested? Reach out to us at https://www.sdgscoop.ca/contact or [email protected] and let’s chat!

JUST FOR FUN
🎯 Games Corner – Just for Fun!

Did you know Guindon Park spans over 500 acres right here on the western edge of Cornwall? That’s a massive slice of nature just 10 minutes from downtown.

To put that into perspective… 500 acres is roughly 380 football fields worth of forest, trails, and outdoor space to explore. 🌲

Whether you're hiking in the summer, cross-country skiing in the winter, biking the trails, hitting the BMX track, launching a boat into the St. Lawrence, or just packing a picnic - Guindon Park is basically Cornwall’s giant backyard.

Next time you're there, remember: you’re wandering through one of the largest urban nature areas in the region… and it’s been hiding in plain sight the whole time.

ESTATE & NEIGHBOURHOOD BUZZ
🏡 Campfire Season is Calling

We’re switching things up a little this week for those who love the great outdoors around the St. Lawrence.

If camping along the river is on your summer wish list, here’s an important date to mark down: reservations for the 2026 season at Parks of the St. Lawrence open Thursday, March 19 at 9 a.m.

Seasoned campers know the drill - the best waterfront and island sites tend to go fast, so a little planning can go a long way. The Parks of the St. Lawrence team suggests having a short list of your favourite campsites ready, picking a few backup options, and logging into your reservation account ahead of time so you’re ready to book the moment spots open.

Whether you're hoping for a quiet island campsite, a riverside sunset, or evenings around the campfire, these parks are one of the region’s best-kept outdoor gems.

Consider this your friendly early warning: if camping is in your plans this summer, you might want to set that alarm. 🏕️🔥

👉 Got a property for sale or rent in SD&G? Let us feature it in next week’s Scoop - the most-clicked section of the newsletter!

JOBS AND CLASSIFIEDS
📢 Who is Hiring?

BOOK KEEPER/ ADMIN COORDINATOR - Emard Lumber
📍 Cornwall
Emard Lumber is looking for a detailed book keeper/ admin coordinator to join their team!
📧 Apply online: [email protected]

LEGAL ASSISTANT - Dube Law
📍 Cornwall
The successful candidate will assist the lawyer and staff with client intake, file management, document preparation, searches, closing procedures, and post-closing reporting.
📧 Apply online: [email protected]

EXPERIENCED COOK - Shawarma Depot
📍 Cornwall
Shawarma Depot is looking for an experienced cook to join the team.
📧 Apply online: [email protected]

👉 Have a business and looking to hire help? Let us feature your job/ business in next week’s Scoop!

CLOSING CALL
That’s a wrap for this week, friends! 👋

If you made it this far, thanks for spending a few minutes with The Scoop, and for helping us celebrate everything that makes Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry and Cornwall such a great place to call home.

As always, if you spot an event, story, local win, or hidden gem we should feature, just hit reply. The best parts of this newsletter come from you.

Until next week - stay warm, keep exploring the community, and if you’re celebrating this week… Happy St. Patrick’s Day! ☘️

📬 Not subscribed yet? Join the Scoop fam here: www.sdgscoop.ca

With gratitude,
The SD&G Scoop Team